.244 



THE iiAGAXANOA OK MA-LABOCH. 



agriculture should fail and she become an object of ridicule in 

 the tribe. The magic of Lebogo, carried out under her direc- 

 tions, was successful. Clouds appeared, the sky was darkened, 

 the lightning flashed, the thunder rolled, and in the abundance 

 ■of rain which followed, the claims of the foreign maid were 

 fully vindicated. A few weeks later, when the seed she had 

 sown had sprimg up, and she had reaped a good crop of grain, 

 her reputation for wisdom was firmly established in the tribe. 

 The Bahurutsi women were not long in following her example, 

 and soon a brisk trade in hoes was followed by the establishment 

 of agricultural labour in the fields, and to this day the Avomen 

 still hoe the ground, plant seed, and reap the crops. 



The magic rights and formulae used in the art of rain- 

 making are still jealously guarded by the chiefs of the tribe, and 

 •even now T^Ialaboch enjoys a reputation second only to that of 

 Modjadji as a rain-maker. 



The efifect of these incidents on the political situation may 

 -well be imagined. The hands of the Lebogo faction were greatly 

 strengthened, and the elder brother saw that his cause was 

 "becoming hopeless. There was a way out of the difficult}', how- 

 ever; if he were to marry this wonderful stranger, a blow Avould 

 be struck at the prestige of Lebogo, and he would regain much 

 of the power he had lost. He therefore tried to induce her to 

 become his wife. With fine scorn the girl rejected his advances, 

 declaring that had it not been for Lebogo, she would have died 

 the death of a dog. The young chief was furious. Nay more, 

 he was desperate. If he wished to secure his position as his 

 father's heir there was only one thing to be done. Lebogo must 

 die. 



A plot to assassinate him was therefore set on. foot, but 

 news of the conspiracy reached the ears of the chief, who there- 

 upon informed Lebogo, and advised him to leave the tribal 

 home and settle elsewhere. 



The young man determined to act on this advice, and taking 

 with him a band of chosen followers, he crossed the Magalakwin, 

 and made for the Blaauwberg, on the pretence of hunting 

 conies. The mountain was then occupied by the jNIagoela. 

 Lebogo visited the chief of that tribe, and begged permission to 

 come and settle in the district with his people. Permission was 

 refused, so spies were despatched to every kraal of the ^lagoela, 

 and an estimate of the fighting strength of the tribe was made, 

 with the result that Lebogo decided to take possession of the 

 mountain by force. The party then returned home. Secret 

 instructions were at once issued to all those who supported the 

 cause of Lebogo, and in the dead of night the exodus of the 

 Ma-lehogo was successfully carried out without being dis- 

 covered by the rest of the tribe. 



The old chief advised Lebogo to make a forced march to 

 " the river," and then to entrench himself on the further bank. 



